Hatchling Growth Questions

KDesautels08

Member
Messages
139
Location
Massachusetts
Hey Guys,

I had a couple questions, and if I could get any help I would really appreciate it.

This was my first season breeding leopard geckos, and did not have as much success as I would've liked. My first (ever) hatching came on 6/10 of this year, and did not get anymore until at the beginning of this month, when I had four more hatch. With this being said I had a couple questions on raising hatchlings.

1) My first gecko, that hatched on 6/10, is shedding regularly, however I have not noticed an appetite increase, nor have I noticed any substantial growth. He/She is still really small, has grown a minimal amount, has developed his/her pattern (she is a super snow), but has not really put on any substantial weight. She has a constant supply of Calcium, food (mealworms), and water. I am just wondering if it usually takes this long for geckos to develop an appetite/grow?

2) My newer geckos have been hatched for almost a month now, they hatch on the 5th and 6th of this month. However, I have yet to see them shed for the first time, they are pooping, but I have not seen them shed yet (and I check them every day). This concerns me because all of the books I have read said they should shed within the first week. Its been almost 3 weeks and still haven't noticed a shed. Two days ago, I put a small dish with a few mealworms in with each of them but they dont seem to be getting eaten. So I guess this would tie in to my first question, how long does it take for them to start eating regularly?

I would appreciate any advice that can be offered.

Thanks in advance.
 

telliott4

Member
Messages
56
Location
Georgia
Sometimes it takes a while for them to hit that growth spurt however the fist should have hit it by now. Once they start growing they tend to grow quickly that said every animal is different. As for the shedding is it possible you miss it. I have 70 babies right now and have only seen a few about to or in shed. It can be quick and they should eat it so there's no evidence.
If they do not eat or are growing slowly I will assist feed to make sure they have an idea of what to do. Just fold a mealworm in half put it in tongs and pop it. Then put the worm in front of their face. It should start to lick and hopefully bite. Some are not so keen on taking worms from a bowl and need some coaching.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
 

Neon Aurora

New Member
Messages
1,376
Location
New Mexico
1) What was the gecko's weight when it hatched and what is it's weight now? It is now 3 months old, so I would estimate a good weight to be at around 20 grams or above

2) You normally don't see them shed. Oftentimes they do it all at night when you're asleep. I didn't see any of mine shed. If they are pooping, then they definitely shed. I found that my hatchlings didn't understand the bowl right away. I gave them a week and then tong fed them for the first few days. I then moved to putting the worms on the ground in front of them with the tongs. When they were good at eating them like this, I moved to using a bowl.

What is their set up like? temperatures, what kind of tank/tub, hides, etc.
 

KDesautels08

Member
Messages
139
Location
Massachusetts
1) What was the gecko's weight when it hatched and what is it's weight now? It is now 3 months old, so I would estimate a good weight to be at around 20 grams or above

2) You normally don't see them shed. Oftentimes they do it all at night when you're asleep. I didn't see any of mine shed. If they are pooping, then they definitely shed. I found that my hatchlings didn't understand the bowl right away. I gave them a week and then tong fed them for the first few days. I then moved to putting the worms on the ground in front of them with the tongs. When they were good at eating them like this, I moved to using a bowl.

What is their set up like? temperatures, what kind of tank/tub, hides, etc.

The first gecko is still under 10 grams, when it was born it was too small to even get a reading on my scale.

They are in a 6qt tub, with heat tape that usually stays around a constant 88 degrees. Each bin has a hide, with paper towel substrate, with a moist paper towel under the hide. I followed the Sasobek hatchling setup video on youtube, thats the setup I am using
 

KDesautels08

Member
Messages
139
Location
Massachusetts
Sometimes it takes a while for them to hit that growth spurt however the fist should have hit it by now. Once they start growing they tend to grow quickly that said every animal is different. As for the shedding is it possible you miss it. I have 70 babies right now and have only seen a few about to or in shed. It can be quick and they should eat it so there's no evidence.
If they do not eat or are growing slowly I will assist feed to make sure they have an idea of what to do. Just fold a mealworm in half put it in tongs and pop it. Then put the worm in front of their face. It should start to lick and hopefully bite. Some are not so keen on taking worms from a bowl and need some coaching.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

I suppose it is possible that I missed it, they are pooping little green poops, fairly regularly, how long would you recommend assist feeding for?
 

Neon Aurora

New Member
Messages
1,376
Location
New Mexico
10 grams is extremely small for 3 months old. My hatchlings reached 10 grams within 2-3 weeks. Is this hatchling eating? How are its poops? Do you have a picture? Does it act like a normal baby (IE, very active, skittish, will usually scream at you if you harass it too much)? I've heard of hatchlings that generally "fail to thrive" and most breeders say that it is because of some congenital problem that is causing the baby to just not do well. I had a hatchling hatch on 6-11 and that gecko was 25 grams a week ago (unfortunately that hatchling is deceased now due to a miraculous escape).

Shedding is easy to miss. Green poops, you say? Are they decently solid looking? any liquid or mucus? As for tong feeding, I did it for around a week. Around a week after they hatched, I started using the tongs to kind of poke them in the mouth with worms. This would cause them to open their mouths as a warning and I gently inserted the worm and when they bit down, their feeding responses kicked in and they ate it. I tong fed until they were readily taking them from the tongs and then moved to putting one at a time on the ground for them to catch. I'm not sure how other breeders do it (since this was also my first season where I actually get hatchlings), what I was doing may not have been necessary, but it sure made me feel better to know that my hatchlings were eating. They quickly moved from being poked in the face with worms to voraciously swallowing them several at a time from a bowl.
 
Last edited:

telliott4

Member
Messages
56
Location
Georgia
When I assist feed there are worms left in a bowl so the gecko can start to eat on its own. Length of time will depend on your gecko but it shouldn't take long. No poops are more concerning than green poops, it may be still absorbing yolk.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
 

KDesautels08

Member
Messages
139
Location
Massachusetts
10 grams is extremely small for 3 months old. My hatchlings reached 10 grams within 2-3 weeks. Is this hatchling eating? How are its poops? Do you have a picture? Does it act like a normal baby (IE, very active, skittish, will usually scream at you if you harass it too much)? I've heard of hatchlings that generally "fail to thrive" and most breeders say that it is because of some congenital problem that is causing the baby to just not do well. I had a hatchling hatch on 6-11 and that gecko was 25 grams a week ago (unfortunately that hatchling is deceased now due to a miraculous escape).

Shedding is easy to miss. Green poops, you say? Are they decently solid looking? any liquid or mucus? As for tong feeding, I did it for around a week. Around a week after they hatched, I started using the tongs to kind of poke them in the mouth with worms. This would cause them to open their mouths as a warning and I gently inserted the worm and when they bit down, their feeding responses kicked in and they ate it. I tong fed until they were readily taking them from the tongs and then moved to putting one at a time on the ground for them to catch. I'm not sure how other breeders do it (since this was also my first season where I actually get hatchlings), what I was doing may not have been necessary, but it sure made me feel better to know that my hatchlings were eating. They quickly moved from being poked in the face with worms to voraciously swallowing them several at a time from a bowl.

Not quite, my other hatchlings, are very skiddish, as is normal, and reacted well to the tong feeding. My first one, the one that is small, runs around but doesn't seem to do more by himself. He/She hasn't really developed much of an appetite yet. He/She, will eat a few mealworms here and there, but most end up dying, every time he/she sheds, he/she can never get it off.. so I have to soak him/her.

As for the other ones the green poops are solid.. but I attributed that to these geckos being 2-3 weeks old..
 

Neon Aurora

New Member
Messages
1,376
Location
New Mexico
This does sound like a failure to thrive case. I'm not sure what you would do about it, I haven't had one yet. There may just be some sort of congenital problem. =/

I'm sure the green poops are okay as as long they are solid and the hatchlings appear healthy. =)
 

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